Billy Moyer vs. Scott Bloomquist One More Time?
Billy Moyer vs. Scott Bloomquist One More Time?
Dirt Late Model Hall of Famers Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer are expected to compete in the same race for the first time since November 2021.
Spectators of a certain age have likely seen scores, if not hundreds, of Dirt Late Model feature races with two of the all-time greats, Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer, facing off. But with the Hall of Famers in the twilight — or even sunset? — of their careers, head-to-head showdowns aren’t nearly as common.
If you’d like to see them in the same feature race one more time, Saturday’s Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series debut at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn., may give you the opportunity as both drivers are on the tentative entry list. The race pays $15,000-to-win and other standouts expected include Brandon Overton, Dale McDowell, Shane Clanton, Ricky Weiss, Chris Ferguson and Cory Hedgecock.
The last time Bloomquist and Moyer were on the same track in the same feature event? Nov. 13, 2021, at the dirt track at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway when Bobby Pierce collected a $50,000 windfall.
The 60-year-old Bloomquist, whose starts have been limited in recent seasons by a variety of health issues, has been a frequent competitor at the Roger Sellers-owned track that’s not far from Bloomquist’s home in Mooresburg, Tenn. His last victory at Smoky Mountain came on May 7, 2016, in a World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory when he took the lead from Casey Roberts on the 16th of 50 laps. Bloomquist’s last feature start at Smoky Mountain came June 18, 2022, when he finished 14th in a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event that saw Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., collect $50,000.
The 66-year-old Moyer is expected to make his debut in a part-time role with Iowa-based Cooney Motorsports (the team’s primary driver, Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, is also slated to compete). Unlike Bloomquist, Moyer is an infrequent competitor at Smoky Mountain Speedway, making just three feature starts there over the last 20 seasons.
Moyer’s most recent visit to Smoky Mountain came in 2014 during his National Dirt Racing League championship campaign. In March 7-8 events, Moyer was forced to take a provisional for both features and tallied a pair of 25th-place finishes. His first trip to Smoky Mountain before the NDRL action came on April 30, 2004, in the first modern-era season with the World of Outlaws. In a race won by Rick Eckert of York, Pa., Moyer ran among the top five but retired with 10 laps remaining and finished 19th.